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SCIENCE WATCH; Corrupt Law Officers

A 10-YEAR study of undercover agents suggests that those who are fast-talking, outgoing, daring and motivated by adventure and excitement may also be more likely to have poor impulse control.

Dr. Michel Girodo, a professor of psychology at the University of Ottawa who wrote the study, said this impulsiveness could sometimes lead to corruption. The study was presented at a recent conference of the American Psychological Association and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington.

Dr. Girodo said a disciplined self-image was the most reliable predictor of whether a person would cross over into criminal activity during covert investigations. He said undercover agents with a disciplined self-image and control of their impulses almost unwaveringly saw themselves as merely playing the part of a drug dealer, for example, rather than becoming one. He said an internal set of social standards prevented them from losing their sense of identity.

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A version of this article appears in print on December 1, 1992, on Page C00003 of the National edition with the headline: SCIENCE WATCH; Corrupt Law Officers. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe